Bookrack



Dec. 27, 1927.

J. G. WESTERFORS BOOKRACK Filed June 12. 1926 atented Dec. 27, 1927..

UNITED STATES JOHAN e. wnsrnnrons, or LOS ensures, CALIFORNIA.

BOOKRAGK.

Application filed June 12, 1926. Serial No. 115,54t7.

My invention relates generally to racks and more particularly to a rack for support ing a book, magazine or the like in open position for reading, and it is a purpose of my invention to provide a substantial and citicient rack of this character adapted to be secured to a support such as, for instance, a bed post, and capable of being adjusted in such manner that the book can be positioned and supported at the place and angle most convenient for reading by the occupant of the bed whether sitting or reclining, thus entirely obviating the manual holding of the book.

A further purpose of my invention is the provision of a rack of this character which is constructed to clampingly engage the leaves of the book to maintain the latter in opened position and yet permit the leaves to be easily turned when desired, the rack be ing adjustable to accommodate books and magazines of different sizes and when not in use is readily foldable into a comparatively small space for storage.

It will describe only one form of book rack embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one form of book rack embodying my invention in applied position with respect to a support, and illustrating in broken lines a book supported on the rack;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rack shown in Figure l with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on the lines 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring specifically to the drawing, in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts in each of the several views, my invention comprises a frame designated generally at F and consisting of a pair of upright members 10 preferably formed of flat strip metal and adjustably connected together in parallel relation by means of two pairs of flat links 11 and 12, the pairs being pivotally connected to each other at 13 and the links of each pair being arranged in intersecting relation and pivoted to each other at 14. One of the links of each pair is pivoted to each of the members at 15, while the other link of each pair is connected to the members by means of a pin and slot connection 16 so that the members can be moved all! to ards each other to occupy a collapsed position or away from each. other to occupy an extended or book supporting position. The lower ends of the members are bent to provide horizontal lips 17 for supporting the lower edges of a book while substantially medially of their ends book clamping devices in the form of curled spring clips 18 are riveted as shown at 19 or otherwise secured to the members and are adapted to engage and clamp the leaves of a book so as to maintain the latter open on the frame and yet when flexed outwardly from the frame to permit the leaves to be turned.

At a point above the clips 18 the flat head 20 of a threaded stud 21 is welded or otherwise secured to the outer edge of one of the members 10 and to which a bracket designated generally at B is adapted to be connected in a manner to be later described. The frame F as above constructed is capable of being detachably secured to a support such as for instance a bed post P by means of the bracket B which includes a pair of clamping sections 22 and 23 hingcdly connected at 24 and adapted to be clamped to embrace the support by means of a bolt 25 having a wing nut 26, the bolt being pivoted at 27 to the section 21 and received in a recess formed in the free ends of the section 23. "Welded or otherwise secured to and extending from the outer side of the section 22 is the member 28 of an adjustable arm A, the member 28 being of tubular rectangular cross section and freely receiving one leg of an L-shaped flat bar 29. The other leg of the bar is bent and provided with an eye 30 in which is received the stud 21 of the frame F, while a wing nut 31 threaded on the stud serves when tightened to clamp the frame against rotation on the bar and when loosened to permit adjustment of the frame from an up wardly tilted to a downwardly tilted position. In addition to this adjustment, it will be clear that by means of the clamping sections 22 and 23 the frame can also be moved upwardly or downwardly upon the post P, and that by the provision of the adjustable arm A can be. moved towards or away from the post so that a book carried by the frame can be positioned at the place and angle most convenient for read ing by the occupant of the bed. In the operation of the rack the sections 23 and 24 of the bracket B are first clamped to the sup? port P by means of the wing nut .26, the book to be read then being opened at .the desired place and the frame F extended or collapsed as required to permit the side ed es of the book to be inserted between :the frame and spring clips 18 by flexing the latter outwardly from the frame. With the lower edge of the book resting upon the lips 17 downward displacement of the book is prevented and upon release of the clips 18 they clampingly engage the leaves of the book to hold it open and yet when flexed slightly permit the leaves to be turned as desired. The various adjustments of which the rack is capable are now made as required to position the book at the place and angle most suitable to the reader.

, With the bracket B detached from the support, it will be clear that by collapsing .the frame F, detaching the bar 29 from the frame and from the member 28, that the rack will occupy a comparatively small space, thus facilitating its storage and yet when set up provides a rigid and eflicient support for books .and magazines of many 7 different s zes.

Although I have herein shown and described only-one form of book rack embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A book rack comprising a frame including a pair of u right members having horizontal supporting lips at their lower ends, pairs of pivotally connected links connected to the members with one of the links of each pair fixedly pivoted to one of the members and the other link of each pair slidably connected to one of the members to permit the members to be moved in parallel relation towards or away from each other to accordingly collapse or extend the frame, curled spring clips secured to the members and adapted to engage the leaves of a book to maintain the latter in open position on the frame, a threaded stud secured at the outer edge of one of the members and extending horizontally therefrom, a bracket including a pair of hinged sections adapted .to embrace an upright support, a bolt pivoted to the free end of one of the sections, a nut on the bolt adapted to engage the other of the sections for clamping the sections to the support, an extensible arm comprising a tubular member and an L-shaped bar slidable in the latter, the outer end of said bar having a horizontal eye adapted to receive said threaded stud, and a nut .01: the stud for clamping. the. bar to said frame.

JOHAN Gr. VVESTERFORS. 

